Speed boat with underwater wings



y 8, 1965 o. REDER 3,183,871

SPEED BOAT WITH UNDERWATER WINGS Filed Aug. 13. 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR 0770 RE 05 I? y 1965 o. REDER 3,183,871

SPEED BOAT WITH UNDERWATER wmes Filed Aug. 13, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll2 1 I WL n f 8 WL4' INVENTOR arra RED/5R May 18, 1965 o. REDER SPEEDBOAT WITH UNDERWATER WINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV EN TOR OTTO REDER UnitedStates Patent ,183,871 SPEED BOAT WITH UNDERWATER WINGS Otto Reder,Bremen-Lesum, Germany, assignor to Weser Flugzeughau G.m.b.H., Bremen,Germany Filed Aug. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 216,630 Claims priority,application Germany, Aug. 28, 1961, W 30,621 4 Claims. (Cl. 11466.5)

docking in harbors and the like, to be tilted out of the position forthe high speed operation so as to be completely out of the water. Thepropellers required for high speed travelling and mounted on thesupporting columns or underwater wings will then be tilted out of thewater together with the supporting columns. T-here .Itore, it isnecessary to provide suitable propellers and additional drives forshallow waters which propellers and drives are mounted on the hull.

It is, therefore, .an object of the present invent-ion to provide aspeed boat of the above mentioned general type, which will overcome thedrawbacks outlined above.

It is another object of this invention to provide a speed boat withunderwater :wings which will have an increased versatility.

These and other objects and advantages ofthe invention will appear moreclearly from the following specification in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a submersible speed boat which whentravelling at high speed, has the hull above the water with the waterwing submerged.

BIG. 2 illustrates the same boat with approximately horizontally tiltedsupporting columns and with the hull of the craft immersed andtravelling at per-iscope depth.

LRIG. 3 is a rear view of the speed boat shown in F165. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates a non-submersible ship as seen from the rear with thetiltable supporting columns in different positions of operation.

FIG. 5 shows on a scale larger than that of FIGS. 1 to 4 a propellerdrive extending through the supporting column joint.

The speed boat according to the present invention is characterizedprimarily in that the supporting columns are laterally tiltable on thehull of the craft from a lower vertical position into a horizontalposition, or be yond, while means are provided for arresting saidsupporting columns in a plurality of positions of operation and whilethe drive of the propulsion means extending through the columns will beassured in any tilted position of the supporting columns. No definiteangular positions are required. The tilting operation may :be eflectedover a range of up to 180' in a continuous or steady manner, and therespective tilted position may be adapted to the respectiverequirements. In this way, also in the underwater range of operation ofthe craft some preferred positions of operation are obtained as will beevident from the drawings. A speed boat of this type may be designed asa surface craft or as a submarine.

According to a further development of the invention, in addition to thewater wings being provided with trailing edge ailerons or rudder flaps,the supporting columns are provided with trailing edge ailerons orrudder flaps as well and are tiltable into such a position of operationthat they will act as wings while the water wings proper take over andperform the function of the rudders.

Furthermore, a control shifting device is provided for actuating therudder flaps, said control shifting device being coupled to the tiltingmovement of the supporting columns in conformity with the tilting angleof the latter so that the shift-over of the control conduits fromcontrol of the column ailerons or flaps to control of the water wingflaps or ailerons for the respective required rudder function will beelfected automatically.

If the supporting columns have been tilted into such a position ofoperation that they act as wings, and if the rudder flaps of thesupporting columns are adjusted for negative lift, it is advantageous togive the supporting columns a negative dihedral angle. In this Way, atransverse stabilizing .efiect is obtained because the entire surfacebrings about a stronger negative lift than the projection inherent tothe V-position.

If it is desiredwith certain ship constructions to produce a strongernegative lift, the supporting columns may from the very start beconnected to the'hull in such a way that when occupying a position ofoperation in which they act as wings, they will have a negative angle ofincidence. If particular value is attached to a lift effect, a positiveangle of incidence is to be selected.

The .water wings may by corresponding suspension and kinematics likewisebe given a positive or negative angle of incidence which may be adjustedat random or in a steady manner. The supporting columns .and the waterwings according to the present invention make it possible in the lowervertical position of the supporting columns to combine each pair ofwater wings to a single wing. In this way an improved aspect ratio willbe obtained.

The combination of each pair of water wings to a single wing does notmean that the wings have to be positively interconnected or coupledtogether by bolts, locks, etc. Already the mere abutment of the inneredges of the wings-even if a slight gap remains therebetweenbrings aboutan improved wing aspect ratio.

It will not be necessary any longer to provide propulsion means on thehull of the ship but instead driving means such as propellers carried atthe ends of the supporting columns or on the water wings only willsuflice. It is, of course, also possible instead of propellers toprovide jet drives. If propellers are used a transmission has to beprovided which will be able to drive the propeller in any tiltedposition of the supporting columns. The transmission according to theinventon may consist of two coaxially spaced intermediate gears locatedon the axis of tilt of the respective support columns. One driving andone driven gear mesh with two intermediate gears. This gearingarrangement makes possible a compact space saving construction whichmaintains the driving connection in all tilted positions of the supportcolumn. The occurring forces are low and can easily be mastered.

Furthermore, adjusting means may be provided for varying the propellerpitch. Such adjusting means may be of any standard construction, forinstance of the con struction disclosed in German Auslegeschrift No.1,115,- 607 dated October 9, 1961.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a craftfor both surface and submerged operation and having a hull 1, while FIG.4 shows a non-immersible speed boat, for instance a stepped and keeledhydroplane. The hull 1 or 1' has two front joints 2 and one or two rearjoints 2'. Pivotally connected to said joints 2, 2' are pairs ofsupporting columns 3, 3. These supporting columns are equipped withailerons or rudder flaps 4 and 4. Mounted at the lower end of thesupporting columns are water wings 5 and 5' with ailerons or rudderflaps 6 and 6'. The front supporting columns 3 are equipped with ahousing '7 for a control transmission and with a driving propeller 8which may be designed as tractor or pusher propeller. Also the rearsupporting column ends may be equipped with propulsion means (not shownin the drawings). Instead of a propeller drive, also a suitable flow orjet drive may be employed.

The vertical or nearly vertical position of operation of the pairs ofsupporting columns 3 and 3 (FIG. 1) preferably, and usually, serves forthe high speed travel with the hull of the craft above the surface ofthe water but may also be employed in sufficiently deep waters when thecraft is travelling with the hull in submersed condi' tion. In this waythere is made possible a very fast change over from high speed surfacetravel to travel in submersed condition and vice versa. During highspeed travel over water, the entire lift is produced dynamically by thewater wings and 5. The ailerons or rudder flaps 6 and/ or 6 which may beactuated manually or by auxiliary means or by an automatic control willwith the supporting columns 3 and 3 occupying the position shown in FIG.1, control the ship in pitch, heave, and roll during both surface andsubmerged travel, whereas the rudder flaps or ailerons 4 or/ and 4 willserve as directional rudders. Furthermore, the Water wings 5 or/ and 5'may be so suspended that the angle of incidence thereof may be changedpositively or negatively. In this way, a control is obtainable solely bythe angular movement of the fins 4 or/ and 4 solely by changing theangle of incidence of the water wings 5 or/and 5' or by the combinationof the two possibilities.

When travelling with the hull on the surface in shallow waters and alsowhen travelling with the hull submerged, the supporting columns 3 and 3'may be tilted on the hull into a horizontal or nearly horizontalposition (FIG. 2). In this position, the supporting columns 3 and 3' actas wings which, by means of their ailerons or rudder flaps 4 and 4',produce a dynamic lift or negative lift depending on the movement of theflaps 4 and 4 in one or the other direction. The large surfaces of thesupporting columns may also at low travelling speed produce such astrong negative lift that the hull of the craft will be pressed underthe water without the flooding of submersing tanks.

A further essential advantage at this position of operation consists inthat the propeller thrust acts at the level of the center of gravity of:the vehicle so that no strong pitching movements can occur which haveto be compensated. I

If it is desired to produce higher negative or positive lift forces, thesupporting columns may be arranged to have a negative or positive angleof incidence when extended laterally from the hull, to which end, thejoints 2 and 2' would be mounted inclined at a corresponding angle withregard to the travelling direction.

In the horizontal position of operation of the supporting columns 3 and3', as shown in FIG. 2, the water wings or water supporting surfaces 5and 5 occupy an approximately vertical position so that by means oftheir flaps 6 and 6' they act as directional rudders to control lateralmovement of the craft. Also in this position, with regard to thecontrol, the possibility described in connection with FIG. 1 isavailable. A shifting device (not shown), for instance a hydraulicallyoperable control valve, is provided which automatically brings about thechangeover of the control conduits through the pivoting movement of thecolumns as soon as the tilting of the columns to a certain angle hasbeen effected.

When viewing the craft of FIGS. 1 and 2 from the rear as shown in FIG.3, the boat will, when at rest, immerse up to the water line WLll. Inthis instance, only small superstructures, and the eriscope or snorkel19 which produce only a minor static buoyancy extend above the water.This minor buoyancy can, when travelling with these portions of thecraft immersed, easily be compensated by the dynamic negative lift ofthe supporting columns in their operative position B. If it is desiredalso to be able to submerge the entire hull, including the portionsreferred to above, when the craft is at rest, only relatively smallflooding tanks are required.

When the supporting columns occupy the position shown in solid lines inFIGS. 2 and 3-position of operation Bthe craft travels with the hullsubmerged to periscope depth with the water line as indicated at WL3. Inthis connection, it is advantageous to place the supporting columns atnegative dihedral angles a and a which position at negative lift willproduce a lateral stabilizing eifect.

When the supporting columns occupy their position of operation A(illustrated in dot-dash lines) the craft will travel above the water athigh speed as described in connection with FIG. 1 and in so travelling,a water line as indicated at WLZ will be had.

The employment of the present invention in connection with surface shipsis illustrated in FIG. 4 for a stepped hydroplane provided with a keel.

With the supporting columns 3 and 3' occupying the position shown insolid lines-position of operation A- the hull of the craft will at highspeed be completely lifted out of the water by the water wings or watersupporting surfaces 5 and 5 similar to the submarine in FIG. 1. Thewater line will, at this time, be at W2. It will also be seen from FIG.4 that the Water wings 5 may be brought toward each other below thecenter portion of the ship to such an extent that they form a singlecontinuous surface with an improved aspect ratio. The same bringingtogether of the two lateral supporting surfaces or wings at the front ofthe craftis also possible.

If the automatic control system which automatically controls heave,pitch, and roll at high speed of the craft should become ineffective, orif for other reasons an autostabilizing hydrofoil configuration isrequired, it is merely necessary to tilt the supporting columns into theposition of operation C indicated by dot-dash lines. As a resultthereof, the hull of the craft will be lifted up to the water line WL4.The water wings or water supporting surfaces and the supporting columnsboth will then represent surface piercing hydrofoil configurations.

In rest condition and also at low travelling speed, the hull of thecraft will immerse up to the water line WLl. For travelling in shallowwaters, the supporting columns are tilted upwardly on the hull to suchan extent that the driving propellers 8 will still be under the Waterlevel as illustrated by dot-dash lines in FIG. 4 and shown in thecondition of operation D. In this instance, either the front or rearpair of supporting columns may be tilted completely out of the water asindicated in FIG. 4 (condition of operation D) for the rear pair ofsupports 3' which are not provided with propulsion means.

When docking in a harbor and for purposes of cleaning or repairing theship, all of the supporting columns of the craft may be folded upwardlycompletely as shown in FIG. 4 by the dot-dash lines in position E.Movement of the craft is then accomplished by towing.

The tilting of the supporting columns may be eflfected by any suitablemotor, such as a hydraulic motor.

A transmission which makes possible the operation of the propeller inany position of the pertaining supporting columns is illustrated in FIG.5. The lugs 11 connected to the hull I carry the pivot bolt or shaft 12having rotatably mounted thereon the joint head 13 of the supportingcolumns 3 (FIGS. 14). A hollow drive shaft 14 is, by means of splines,connected to the drive pinion shaft 15 and drives pinion 16 which mesheswith intermediate bevel gears 17 and 17. The particular advantage of thedouble mesh of this pinion 16 is seen in the fact that the tooth forcesare low, and that the bearingforces are greatly reduced while smalldimensions are possible.

which is in double mesh with the lower intermediate bevel gear 23 and asimilar bevel gear above the drawing plane. Likewise, the lower outputgear 24 is in double mesh with the intermediate bevel gear 23 and thesaid gear above the drawing plane. Bevel gear 24 drives propeller 8through shaft 25, which propeller may be designed with adjustable pitch.

The particular advantage of. this drive with double gear mesh is at thispoint seen particularly in the fact that the control transmission 22,23, 24 can be designed so as to save considerable space while thehousing 7 for said transmission will be given a compact shape so as tooffer a minimum of water resistance.

As mentioned above, the supporting columns are tiltable from a lowervertical position into a horizontal position. More specifically, withregard to FIG. 5, the front end of the supporting columns is providedwith a gear ring 26 meshing with a pinion 27 driven by a motor 28 whichmay be an electric motor. By actuation of motor 28, and through theintervention of pinion 27 and gear ring 26, the entire supporting columnis tilted about the joint 2.

For purposes of arresting the respective supporting column in itsrespective adjusted position, a bolt 29 may be employed which isoperable by a piston reciprocably mounted in a cylinder 30. Thatcircumferential portion of gear ring 26 which is located opposite thepinion 27 is provided with a number of bores 32 corresponding to thedesired number of operative positions of the supporting column. Thesebores 32 may selectively be engaged by pin or bolt 29. If it isdesirable to tilt the respective supporting column, a pressure medium isthrough pressure lines 31 conveyed to cylinder 30 so that the pistonwith bolt 29 thereon will be moved toward the left with regard to thedrawing whereby the supporting column is unlocked. The supporting columnmay then be tilted in any convenient manner into the desired position ofoperation in which it is again arrested by reversing the supply ofpressure fluid to cylinder 30 so that bolt 29 will engage the respectivebore 32.

As likewise indicated above, for actuating the control means a controldevice may be provided which is coupled to the tilting movement of thesupporting columns in conformity with the tilting angle of the latter sothat the shift-over of the control means for the respective requiredcontrol function will be effected automatically. This shift-over may,for instance be effected electrohydraulically. If the control surfacesare actuated hydraulically through the intervention of a control valve,each position of operation of the supporting columns requires adifferent position of the control valve, and thus a difierentdistribution of the effect of a control movement upon the controlsurfaces. This respective position of the control valve whichcorresponds to a certain position of operation of the supporting columnsis brought about by electric contacts. At the bottom of each bore 32there is provided an electric contact 33 which is actuated as soon asbolt 29 is introduced into the bore. For each bore there is provided onecontact so that the position of the control valve will in this waycorrespond to the respective position of operation of the supportingcolumn. Thus, the above-mentioned devices will automatically control thecontrol lines in conformity with the tilting angle of the supportingcolumns.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by nomeans, limited to the constructions shown in the drawings but alsocomprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A craft adapted for surface and subsurface operation comprising:propulsion means, a hull and a hydrofoil assembly, said hydrofoilassembly including a plurality of supporting columns arranged in pairsspaced along the hull and each pair of columns including a col- 6 umn oneach side of the hull, each said columns having a hydrofoil crosssection with the major axis thereof extending in the direction ofmovement of the ship, controllable ailerons on the trailing edges ofsaid columns and extending to the region of the ends thereof remote fromsaid hull, hydrofoil means supported by each of said columns in theregion of the end thereof remote from said hull and extending at anangle to the longitudinal axis of the respective column, said hydrofoilmeans including ailerons on the trailing edges thereof, means pivotallyconnecting said supporting columns to said hull for movement of eachsaid column in a vertical plane transverse to the longitudinal axis ofthe hull and into a plurality of operating positions, said operatingpositions including a. first operating position of the supportingcolumns wherein they extend substantially vertically downwardly from thehull and a second operating position of said columns wherein they extendsubstantially horizontally outwardly from the hull, said hydrofoil meansperforming as hydrofoils in said first position of said columns, and insaid second position of said supporting columns and said supportingcolumns performing as hydrofoils and said hydrofoil means performing asdirectional rudders, said propul sion means being carried by at leastsome of said columns at the extreme ends thereof remote from said hullso as to be submerged in all tilted positions of said columns.

2. A craft according to claim 1 in which said means pivotally connectingsaid columns to said hull comprises a pivot shaft for each column at theupper end thereof and carried by the hull and extending in substantiallythe fore and aft direction of the craft, power operable means in thehull connected to each column for rotating the same about the axis ofits respective pivot shaft, and lock means carried by the hull andcolumns engageable in columns in said tilted positions, said positionsincluding a plurality of tilted positions of said columns to lock thecolumns in said tilted positions, said positions including said firstand second positions of the cohunns.

3. A craft according to claim 1 in which said pairs of columns include arear pair having the said hydrofoils arranged thereon so as to meet whenthe said rear pair of columns are in their said first position wherebythe said hydrofoils form a continuous substantially horizontal hydrofoilelement.

4. A craft according to claim 1 in which said pairs of columns include arear pair having the said hydrofoil means arranged thereon so as to meetwhen the said rear pair of columns are in their said first positionwhereby the said hydrofoil means form a continuous substantiallyhorizontal hydrofoil element, said propulsion means being mounted on aforward pair only of said columns and having fore and aft axessubstantially coinciding with the axes of intersection of the centralplanes of the said forward pair of columns and the said hydrofoil meansthereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,410,875 3/22Bell 11466.5 1,776,700 9/30 Pegna 114--66.5 2,274,200 2/42 Hill 114-6652,749,870 6/56 Vavra 114-665 2,906,228 9/59 Wendel 114-66.5 2,914,01411/59 Carl 11466.5 2,918,029 12/59 Legat ll466.5 2,931,443 4/ 60Pehrsson 115-4 2,980,047 4/61 Korganoff 11466.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 457,840 6/50 Italy. 526,415 5/55 Italy.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner. MILTON BUCHLER, Examiner.

1. A CRAFT ADAPTED FOR SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE OPERATION COMPRISING:PROPULSION MEANS, A HULL AND A HYDROFOIL ASSEMBLY, SAID HYDROFOILASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SUPPORTING COLUMNS ARRANGED IN PAIRSSPACED ALONG THE HULL AND EACH PAIR COLUMNS INCLUDING A COLUMN ON EACHSIDE OF THE HULL, EACH SAID COLUMNS HAVING A HYDROFOIL CROSS SECTIONWITH THE MAJOR AXIS THEREOF EXTENDING IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OFTHE SHIP, CONTROLLABLE AILERONS ON THE TRAILING EDGES OF SAID COLUNMSAND EXTENDING TO THE REGION OF ENDS THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID FOIL,HYDROFOIL MEANS SUPPORTED BY EACH OF SAID COLUMNS IN THE REGION OF THEEND THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID HULL AND EXTENDING AT AN ANGLE TO THELONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE RESPECTIVE COLUMN, SAID HYDROFOIL MEANSINCLUDING AILERONS ON THE TRAILING EDGES THEREOF, MEANS PIVOTALLYCONNECTING SAID SUPPORTING COLUMNS TO SAID HULL FOR MOVEMENT OF EACHSAID COLUMN IN A VERTICAL PLANE TRANSVERSE TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OFTHE HULL AND INTO A PLURALITY OF OPERATING POSITIONS, SAID OPERATINGPOSITIONS INCLUDING A FIRST OPERATING POSITION OF THE SUPPORTING COLUMNSWHEREIN THEY EXTEND SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY FROM THE HULLAND A SECOND OPERATING POSITION OF SAID COLUMNS WHEREIN THEY EXTENDSUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE HULL, SAID HYDROFOIL MEANSPERFORMING AS HYDROFOILS IN SAID FIRST POSITION OF SAID COLUMNS, AND INSAID SECOND POSITION OF SAID SUPPORTING COLUMNS AND SAID SUPPORTINGCOLUMNS PERFORMING AS HYDROFOILS AND SAID HYDROFOIL MEANS PERFORMING ASDIRECTIONAL RUDDERS, SAID PROPULSION MEANS BEING CARRIED BY AT LEASTSOME OF SAID COLUMNS AT THE EXTREME ENDS THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID HULLSO AS TO BE SUBMERGED IN ALL TILTED POSITIONS OF SAID COLUMNS.